The week before an assignment is due is always a fast week. I can't believe tomorrow is Thursday already. My group and I now have some direction. Our topic has allowed me to walk down Memory Lane. Remember Oregon Trail? Where in World is Carmen Sandiego? The first Sim City? I forgot all about them! I need to find an oil drilling simulation game that I played in 8th grade...Wait! I found it! I so remember Oil Barons for the Commodore 64!!
Games appear to have teaching value, depending on what expert you read. Some say great, others...not so much. I've always thought that students learn more when they're having fun (duh). Teaching should be conveyed via different forms of media (it's why we're here, right?) so there should always be a place for a quality game/simulation exercise.
Now I'm going to search for popular "edutainment" software from the late 80's:)
(heehee!)
The original is from 1971--I'm as old as the Oregon Trail!
It has been great working on the project together. I don't remember playing a lot of these games when I was younger. Hopefully, games will play a role in my sons' education and learning process. It seems to be the way things are evolving. Our powerpoint rocks!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I have to stop looking at it though. I keep changing it. I can't stop!
ReplyDeleteI think my daughter learned a lot from online games like Nick Jr. games and pbskids.org. Not only do they teach content but using the computer is great for motor skills. My son could navigate my iphone when he was 3:-) I don't know if I should be happy or disturbed...
Learning should be fun. We want to reduce burnout in kids. I still see wonder and interest in my daughter to learn. It seems like when they get to high school, that wonder is gone. I'm not sure when it goes...
After working diligently on our first course and discovering all I didn't know about technology and the vast amount of learning I've yet to do, I feel like I am somewhere on the Oregon Trail...when it was first created! I, too, failed at my first attempt at graduate school education reimbursement, after all that work, for something tantamount to forgetting to put my name on my paper. (Oh, how those papers do frustrate us teachers, right?!) Let's just say I got a "O," Darlene!
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